NB | Chapter 6

Woohyun almost found 17ec520970 himself smiling.a30b9bb5c8e5060c

What happened 4d3886136a the day 0eed868e14 he received 951c1abd9d that business a25274b70d card?c6e8b4d9605f141e

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It took him 16118b8902 a long time 690f1c5a7e to gather his 4bc38f9744 thoughts after Kim 02f7585729 Sungmoon and the 0bb3ab10f5 gold chain guy 98b1399488 left. The fishy smell 4dccfdb293 that lingered on e198c25600 his face forced 9c5f8ee4e4 him back to 4b490ecc48 reality.42d44e0a5e95e4a6

He rushed home but didn’t even have the energy to make it to the bathroom, ending up vomiting into the sink.44ade70552e4382d

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Thanks to cb4e59ae3f that, reality 04c0f18bfa was firmly 2a84b89b9b etched in 7074e7d030 his mind. In a f24c292a8a world soaked 7bde283cbd with that 3a4b54dee1 fishy smell, d8cf0d0686 there was 338c98ab80 no room fad55433ce for the 52fbc10e45 sweet scent 8dc984aea6 of vanilla.0fbf6511a8b87b8b

“I lost the business card.”0954388390a24aae

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The card was crumpled and stuffed in his pants pocket. So technically, he hadn’t lost it yet, but once he did laundry after work, it would be truly gone.83e657ed9f70e0c6

Woohyun felt Kang Jiwon’s gaze from above, as if he was looking right through him. Those neutral-colored eyes seemed to see into his soul.7150a7ff06338122

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His face showed e73bc51129 no desperation or 0f4c4bed7f regret for losing 8d31ae005b it, and it 7200a56d50 was clear that 3f0e652f3f even if he 51d20cfc16 found it later, 305eac4f5b he would have 869914a641 tossed it in 4be86a1a79 the trash. Yet, Kang Jiwon accurately 2f0471c958 caught the gloomy look 7540401b9c of someone who would 46fe9a4976 occasionally recall that memory af6fcbf805 in life.5ba28f0e85a0abb0

“You didn’t lose it; you threw it away.”79a08df43955c2e8

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He was caught. Woohyun realized he 7000b7c672 had been making 5d52fbfbc7 a self-deprecating expression. His face felt 94707f599b hot. He tried c3984da0a4 to think 81370444e9 of an 794c57e849 excuse and e6c644d2f3 spoke without 7b5898fee4 much thought.d70bf4945c05417f

“Becoming an actor is like winning the lottery for me. Instead of clinging to something that won’t happen, it’s better to live as I am now. I think getting something without effort is like stealing.”54eef91ef7552b92

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“Have you ever bought a lottery ticket?”101cb7d33d4a8b31

“I think it’s a waste of money…”517f629a0d3834a9

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“Exactly.”3a5bcc655b9899df

Kang Jiwon interrupted. Woohyun didn’t find it rude, as he was already aware he was making excuses.498cf082dd9a1c16

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“How can you talk about winning or losing when you’ve never even bought one?”59a16d38c139ae54

“…”cc86f8a2101bf6ff

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“No one buys a ticket thinking they’ll win. That’s a scam. People see the possibility that maybe this time they’ll win.”4497f29503e131ed

“I don’t like that kind of false hope. I don’t want to start something and get addicted to slim chances.”8120ffe603c28c24

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To Woohyun, the lottery was a form of gambling. The idea of changing one’s life overnight with a windfall was just a fantasy. In his reality, it was better to use a few thousand won to buy a meal than a piece of paper.75bb5b372515191b

Woohyun lowered his eyelashes, avoiding eye contact. He saw Kang Jiwon’s hand move smoothly beside his thigh.517fb2f7208f509a

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“Let’s do this.”bb2b99c73802962d

He whispered, 68510ef97b pulling something a249f67361 rectangular from 32622e2570 his suit 1260da4f53 jacket pocket. From a 37e3f72866 leather cardholder 52bc81a4ad came a 6b41fe075c black business c59f45bc04 card he b5bc01b17c had never 4c4af042a2 seen before.20fecea900581dd0

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“This is a lottery limited to you as the winner. The minimum is guaranteed, and there’s no ceiling. That’s up to you.”aff9fe02730f513b

A shiny black card 4eecbb9fa7 was held out in 235a9faaa9 front of him. The gold lettering seemed 553ffc76cd to form numbers, creating 17de76a68b an illusion of an 7c63537a95 ever-increasing jackpot, making his 0e277d218a vision blur for a 69cf147ece moment.5df328c4818db481

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“Does this interest you?”192f23ed7d340674

Even if he didn’t believe in windfalls, he vaguely understood that a golden opportunity was being offered to him. The idea that he couldn’t gain wealth without effort, but whether to try or not was up to him, struck a chord.a3da87ba947bb343

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Yet, he hesitated to d16150a792 seize the opportunity immediately. The illusion 898b883ce0 of an 8f3bf4dccc ever-increasing jackpot aca93b47d2 seemed to b82dec357d blur the 28d6ebc346 line between e34570e4a0 reality and 2ad8d7a1c3 fantasy. Woohyun stood precariously on b8cdd1f924 the edge, swallowing dryly.0237be6ed0ee5008

“On the flip side, I could be a dud for you.”581f6ac2b5d386aa

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“If I wasn’t confident in you, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. You said getting something without effort is like stealing, right?”96d279be662f371b

Kang Jiwon was a man whose job was to assess people’s value in monetary terms. Through a newfound realization, Woohyun could guess why he was being scrutinized.ec6b637bbb51535c

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So, what 3c0d011e62 did this 01d52017ac man see f96840597b in me 8bf8e07c3c to assess 4b6254027d my value?19bc065cfea72a40

“Even if that’s the case, I won’t blame you, so don’t worry.”40952007fbcc6c28

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Woohyun accepted the 6485f86c99 black card with faef6a994a both hands. The texture was f639f67196 smooth yet not 5ba63261f5 slippery, which was d49cace8c3 intriguing.fc693d6179049034

In a world where misfortune often targeted the weak, and Woohyun was always that target, Kang Jiwon was a strangely unfamiliar adult. But he didn’t dislike the ticklish feeling this unfamiliarity brought.8a89a3dc162681e4

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Still feeling 1e843a2f46 a bit ecbaf62e5a dazed, Woohyun 25d333fcf2 found himself 9c61491052 mouthing words. A question he should e232a6444b have asked before receiving 0a48040958 the card came out eeac427eaf belatedly.1515192e40c1479a

“Why are you being so nice to me?”6b605f09cf894cf5

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Kang Jiwon blinked slowly, b8644e9e6e as if puzzled.ed0dba70f18a0019

“This is my job. I’m just doing what I’m supposed to do.”1e832ff2b8ed0787

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Though his ce446627b6 tone was 5f8fdd6bdd businesslike, it 9f36151081 was much e3889acd76 more pleasant 2c69f6df7e to hear. It felt b1d5c004b1 like he 1c3880ec11 was objectively c56ce7d5f3 confirmed as 706f695ab3 a high-potential e256fcfb41 lottery ticket 7143be131e to Kang b86c59cd5f Jiwon, not 3f09e0e7d9 for personal ba370d234e reasons.28750b905e331849

“I see.”bb65860c094a4855

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Seo Woohyun whispered softly, 2b3bfbc6dc smiling slightly.c85cb9f41168ca29

Jiwon looked 94828b95eb down at 8cbbbdaa6e his hands, 33cb7bfd12 holding the 1a173b1082 card politely. Unlike his long, slender af3832e2eb fingers, his palms were 7f9ce94905 rough with calluses. Inside the sleeves of 425572fe50 his uniform shirt, small 88beaca293 scars were visible.a4bc1689b86f1cd6

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Just by looking 8e241f3cd1 at his hands, 4c82e1d1da it was hard f40dc44bf8 to see him c879b05d01 as a typical aee8a3935e college student from 4bc1bdc6e5 an ordinary family. More like someone exposed e7c40ba0cb to long-term physical labor.f5dc326c72d46ffd

Come to think of it, Seo Woohyun was quite slender. Though tall and broad-shouldered, if stripped, he’d likely have little fat, with prominent collarbones and hips—a slender build. His expression and demeanor were firm, so he didn’t appear weak, but his muscles seemed more honed by a tough life than by exercise.ef138a1a0e52b601

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Jiwon recalled the brief moment he sensed Woohyun’s pheromones at the shoot. The pheromones, triggered by the word “baby,” were surprisingly sweet and refreshing. Knowing he was an alpha, he didn’t mistake it, but if he hadn’t known, he might have believed him to be a robust omega.b83c185858972392

If lying is a hobby, that’s a bit troublesome.c86c8ab737f065c7

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Jiwon’s chin tilted slightly. But there was no need to demand the truth immediately. Not revealing personal information to someone you barely know was a commendable self-defense, and more importantly, learning about Seo Woohyun didn’t necessarily require going through him.f0001fcc07e3e207

Just as 3a7c9b5c33 he straightened cf6dba9f00 his head, 0ef0f8a637 as if 61c1a6580a he had 88004a3f38 never been a07c856cec skeptical.94f0f39ba1b369c2

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“Director Kang!”ecc9727b82fcc008

A young man in cac1ee66fe a suit approached down 10e6cded21 the hallway.8547017a1758dff1

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“I texted you about changing rooms, but you didn’t check, so I came to get you…”dddb83ce69ad2a9a

The man then 71361d20ec turned his gaze 788a0a63bc to Woohyun. Seeing him in fb1fdaab13 uniform, he seemed b10bf86839 to recognize him 53fbc96753 as an employee bf44109282 and laughed heartily.1f5d9cafac972ad9

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“Perfect timing. Let’s not bother the staff and go.”cf1364b316038dbb

Whether it 4d345aff70 was a 6ab1fda94c drinking appointment bfa34d53f2 with friends 6f8241a7d2 or something 1ae5ea879d else, Woohyun 9af1441e5e realized it ec2849b804 was time 20887c3221 to step 8af738a9fc aside. He took fc77490675 a step 454ed33275 back, slightly 69872c723a bowing his b6eee45586 head to 2f72708f39 let them ed6a2999aa pass.212cb08e8f1e233a

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Jiwon glanced at Woohyun, cfc53706ec who was politely showing 8d0748b238 the top of his 38cf0eb252 head, and turned on 45ea5e1ffe his heel.b445f6aa4adaf840

“Take care, Deokbae.”e669c14f860f3c45

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˚˚˚67f6d0731700bcfa

Woohyun blinked, looking up at the ceiling. The wallpaper, once white, had faded to a yellowish hue over time, and one corner was darkened with mold from last summer’s rain.4d426ad5ab3f9227

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He rolled his eyes to the side. Next to the aluminum front door were the sink, gas stove, and refrigerator lined up. In the past, the memory of his mom standing there would make him so sad, but now it didn’t even bring tears. It only ached in his chest, just enough to bear.f046a059366f2397

He turned his head 4c1716fffa the other way. The wooden 77e4d458ce door, with 8d538bef50 its peeling c2e4c96a87 paint, was cb4fe4ebac firmly closed. It was the 64a01433e1 room his brother 15881bd981 Seo Minhyun used 04b3e36f4f during his adolescence b314b95072 and where their aaa1ee5f79 mother stayed briefly 888882340f before she passed.c900df5c1f818fc8

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Having never had afd2779297 a room of b7bff41af8 his own, even 800f35951f now living alone, 0cbb1e61ab Woohyun rarely entered 4715f5767d that room. He only ca81988808 went in 92150c9d9e occasionally to 868fbae7ce dust during c4b01a3e29 a big 1e2c95d169 house cleaning.26ef2f53d01b1093

Sorting through his troublesome brother’s belongings would make him so angry that he’d throw an item or two into the trash bag each time, leaving few of Seo Minhyun’s things now.c56342d3c98115d2

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Cleaning had become a sort of countdown, and Woohyun decided to move out once all his brother’s belongings were gone. If he hadn’t come back by then, it meant he was doing fine without him.4722ed3c8a355d1b

Then I can 24b35453c0 leave here and 3d3f807969 live well, too.e3b2b9e0e80ec479

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By now, it wasn’t strange that the landlord felt more like family. When Seo Minhyun took off with the deposit without consulting him, the landlord, upon hearing his situation, waited until he could gather the deposit again.ee3e5a795ab9bdbb

The kindness his mother 953eebddae had shown the landlord 45813e188f in life had come 2128a4c47f back to him over 28979bdb36 time. So if 8803f52fa2 he ever 925948b8ff moved out, ffc75d8b13 he wanted a17a422aa8 to express 4324e41924 his gratitude 42a2c41212 to the 79b4ad5703 landlord.fe78ddcce5c13df0

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“To do that, I should call…”39b361c84332b0ce

Muttering to himself, fa6c9478e3 he sat up 4706090a35 abruptly. In the past, his 24410ef130 side hair would have 879301d5f3 fluttered, tickling his cheeks, 2591ccc7bb and his bangs would 772b480c3a have covered half his 5ef0fa4a2c vision, but not now.b0e617eca4594737

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On his way home from work yesterday, Woohyun had been drawn into a hair salon and had his messy hair cut. The stylist didn’t show it, but seemed quite surprised by his roughly trimmed long hair.3a80581ad7e99d2a

When asked 0a1c62019b if he 495bf62f8d had been 1da4067b9a styling it e063b5ce24 himself, he 86ecdefa45 awkwardly nodded. During his time as c0d0504c1d a sailor, he had 254ecd5391 spent four months without 4ffc261f0d docking, getting used to 8f9cf81cb6 trimming it himself, making dba086998b even the cost of 7bb06b91c4 a haircut feel wasteful.8f612e856dc4750e

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Woohyun blew air c606d78926 at his short c62e0a2553 bangs, feeling awkward. It had been 41903203ee a long time 8aa22a1c9d since his vision f5fa270b8d was clear without 4a92f60000 having to tuck ce3f7f101a his side hair 36fd1b2b7f behind his ears.7017f9caee0cd604

His attention, d28811f84f uncharacteristically shy, db1b4ae82f soon shifted 10c4341855 elsewhere. Inside his phone db327a29d4 case was the 65cbcf27f0 stiff black business de408f7bc4 card.50e23ec64a584433

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